LUTHER. [Continued from Page 168.] THE new Emperor stood committed already, as far as personally concerned, on the subject of Lutheranism. He was not only adverse to the reformed doctrine, but he desired to oblige the Pope, and feared lest his subjects in Spain and the Netherlands, who were zealously attached to the religion of their ancestors, might be withdrawn from their allegiance, if they saw the new opinions, as they were termed, sanctioned by the authority of the sovereign. He appointed a Diet of the Empire to be held at Worms, on the sixth of January 1521; and informed the different personages whom he summoned to attend it, that he called this assembly in order to concert with them the most proper measures for checking those religious sentiments which threatened the peace of the state and the quiet of the church. The Papal legates insisted, at this august meeting, that without any delay or formal deliberation, the Diet ought to condemn a man whom the Pope had already excommunicated as an incorrigible heretic. Whatever might be the secret wishes of the Emperor, he found it impossible to countenance such a summary proceeding. He would not rashly oppose the ElecJUNE 1823. tor of Saxony, to whom he was principally indebted for his crown; nor the other members who appeared disposed to resist the pretensions and exactions of the Roman see, and had actually presented a catalogue of grievances on these subjects, of which they required him, in virtue of a capitulation, to obtain relief, Aleander was accordingly necessitated to address the assembly in a long harangue, vindicating the proceedings of the Pope. He pro-. duced the writings of Luther, and quoted with much dexterity the most obnoxious passages. He attempted to show their pernicious tendency, as subversive of all order and government; and pressed on the notice of his hearers the obligation of opposing principles which would deprive the church of a recognised interpreter of Scripture. Nor was this the worst. Luther would destroy the foundations of all morality, by denying the very existence of human liberty, and reducing man to a mere machine; so that the most profligate had only to urge, in defence of their conduct, that their actions had been predestinated, and that it was impossible for them to have pursued a different course. He then accused him of contemning the efficacy of the sacraments, and seeking to persuade his readers, that there is no obligation in vows D.D 1 that have been made with the cree. par Such was the initiatory movement against the Reformer in this celebrated Diet, and curiosity is naturally excited to inquire into the circumstances and character of his plausible and zealous accuser. He appears to have been a worthy associate of Eccius, Prierias, and Hoogstrat, in the mischievous and unhallowed work of holding up to general execration the conscientious teacher of a purer system of religion. He is said to have been born, in 1480, at Motta, in the diocese of Ceneda and territory of Venice, and educated at the neighbouring town of Pordenone, where he displayed such precocity of talert, as to lecture in public at fifteen years age. He studied astrology and medicine, and from early attainment in Latin and Greek, became master of Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Arabic. At nineteen, he distinguished himself as a philosopher and theologian, and was invited to Rome by Pope Alexander VI. where he became secretary to the infamous Cardinal Borgia. Taking orders, and obtaining the favour of the French court, he was chosen Rector of the of University of Paris; but returning to Rome, was honoured by Leo X. with the post of Apostolical Librarian, advanced to a canonry by Adrian VI. created Archbishop of Brindisi in the kingdom of Naples by Clement VII. and raised to a Cardinalate by Paul III. to the great offence of the German Protestants, to whom he was peculiarly obnoxious on ́account of his determined opposition to Lutheranism *. The advancement of Aleander was a specimen of the manner in which the preferments of the day were bestowed. It was not so much out of respect to his abilities that these dignities were heaped upon him, as because he hired out these abilities in the service of the Romish see. Nor was it for his virtues; for he was unprincipled and immoral. At the time that he made this public appearance he was about forty years of age, and regarded as a leading champion of the Papal cause. Against such a character, it may not create surprise if Luther indulged in, a description somewhat sarcastic." In these days comes Jerome Aleander, a man in his own opinion superior to every body, not only on account of languages, in which he is exceedingly knowing (Hebrew being his vernacular dialect, Greek cultivated by him from a boy, and Latin familiarized by long custom), but also on account of his ancient stock. For he was born a Jew; which nation is apt to boast extravagantly of its descent from Abraham. I cannot say, if he be baptized! Certainly he is no Pharisee, for he does not believe in the, resurrection of the dead, living as he does, as though he were to perish with the body, and abstaining from no depraved appetite. If any thing enrages him, he is like a madman. Of impotent arrogance, insatiable covetousness, unrestrain * Ughelli Ital. sacr. tom. ix. col. 38. ed epicurism, a very slave to love of distinction, although too easy to aim at its attainment by an elaborate style, and too bad to seek it by fair argument. But let us observe how happily his feigned apostasy to Christianity has given way. For he has found an opportunity of illustrating the glory of his own Moses, and obscuring that of Christ, which in our day has begun to revive, while superstition and pernicious human legends are falling to decay. He is come, therefore, armed with pontifical credentials, to destroy all good, as far as lies in his power Aleander was much chagrined at beholding the little impression he was able to make on the members of the Diet, with their friends and attendants. He wrote to the Cardinal Julio de Medici, to whom he had been secretary, that every exertion should be immediately used to preserve the German authorities from the infection of Lutheranism. The Roman court, judging by its own feelings that money was the most powerful of reasoners, despatched this additional argument to its advocate, to be applied as he saw fit. But his intrigues were counteracted by Pontanus, the trusty Chancellor of the Elector Frederick while the Bohemians translated his works into their own tongue, that they might be read by the common people, the students in Saxony employed their holyday seasons in sports ridiculing the Pope and Cardinals; and Luke Cranach, the celebrated painter, sent out some wood-cut caricatures, representing the actions of Christ and Antichrist as opposed to each other, which so much pleased the Professor by their ingenuity, that he wrote under the actions of the Saviour a string of extracts from the Gospels explanatory of the pictures, and under those of the Pope the Romish decretals, and passages from *Luth. Opp. Jen. t. i. fol. 496. Daniel and the Revelations foretelling the fall of Antichrist. The Papal emissary took occasion to notice in one of his speeches the assertion of Luther, that he was of Hebrew origin. After using an irreverent exclamation, he said, "There are many respectable persons here present, who know me and my family too. My ancestors were noblemen in Istria; and if my parents were reduced, it was their misfortune. I have so far proved my own legitimacy, as to be chosen Canon of Lodi, which would not have been the case, if I had not sprung from a decent family. But if I were a Jew, and have been baptized, I ought not to be rejected. Christ and his Apostles were Jews." Notwithstanding this indignant complaint, there is reason to think that Luther had good ground for his assertion. His father was a physician, of which profession were many Venetian Jews; and it is certain, that Aleander himself, in the early part of his life, was conversant with Israelites. Nor is much credit due to the declaration of a man, of whom Erasmus has hinted, among other particulars, that "to say no worse of him, he was not superstitiously addicted to truth." The Elector Frederick, going to Worms, followed up the negotiation of his Chancellor with personal representations to the Emperor of the injustice of condemning his subject unheard, and so far prevailed on that monarch, that he resolved to grant him a safe-conduct to and from the Diet, accompanied by the following citation: "Charles V. by the grace of God, Emperor of the Romans, &c. to our honourable, beloved, and devoted Doctor Martin Luther, of the Augustine Order. "Honourable and beloved: Whereas we and the States of the Holy Empire, now and here assembled, have proposed and concluded to take examination of thee, respecting thy doctrine and certain books recently published by thee; we have granted thee, for secure protection in coming hither and departing hence, free and direct security and safe-conduct from us and the Empire, herewith sent: requiring, that thou shouldest set out immediately; so that, according to the tenour of these presents, thou mayest appear before us within twenty-one days, and not delay, or fear violence or injury, for we would have thee depend on this our safe-conduct, and are persuaded of thy appearance. Given at Worms, sixth of March, A. D. 1521." When some of his friends were apprehensive that the plausibility of a state document was but a cloak to that malice which sought possession of his person, that he might share the fate of Huss and Savonarola, he opposed a steady fortitude to their discouragements and remonstrances. To Spalatinus he wrote on the 19th of March: "I have received your account of the articles which I shall be expected to recant, and the behaviour which will be prescribed to me. Be assured, I will recant nothing, as soon as I find that they have no stronger argument to bring against me, than what I have written contrary to the rites and customs of the church, as they call it. I shall therefore answer the Emperor, that if I am summoned for the mere purpose of recantation, I will not appear; since I could do that without the trouble of a journey. For I could recant here as well as there. But if he should be offended at this answer, and cite me again to take away my life as an enemy to the Empire, I shall go; for I will not flee, Christ being my helper, or desert the Word in the day of battle. I am persuaded, however, that these bloody-minded men will never rest till they have taken away my life; though I could wish, that none but Papists should be guilty of my blood.” He set out in a covered car, according to the fashion of the time, attended by Justus Jonas, principal of the collegiate church of Wittenberg; Armsdorf, a canon of the same foundation; and Jerome Schurfius, a doctor of laws, whom he retained as advocate; Jasper, a relation of the latter, leading the way as Imperial herald. Suaven, a Danish student, also accompanied him; and on the road other friends joined the party, among whom was Cordus, a schoolmaster of Erfurt. At Weymar, he was presented with necessaries for the journey by Duke John, the Elector's brother. At Erfurt he was persuaded to preach, though contrary to the injunctions of the Diet, and declaimed briefly against the merit of works and the vices of the clergy. He was much indisposed on the journey, but solaced himself with pleasant conversation, and at intervals resorted to his favourite music. It is said, that he composed on this occasion the words and music of a hymn which is sung to this day with a lively interest in the Saxon churches *. At Francfort, he tells Spalatinus in a letter, "All the way from Eisenach to Francfort, I have experienced such languor as I never felt before. I hear too, that Charles has issued a mandate to frighten me."-This was an order for collecting his writings." But Christ liveth; and we shall enter Worms, in spite of all the gates of hell and powers of the air. I purpose to alarm and despise Satan." Proceeding on to Mentz, he was advised to turn aside to Ebenburg, a fortress belonging to Sir Francis Seckingen, where he might hold a disputation with more personal "Ein feste burg ist unser Gott." A strong hold is our God.-Musée des Frotestans eclébres, t. I. p. i. p. 183. safety; and the Knight himself sent Martin Bucer with a troop after him to Oppenheim, to urge the same precaution; but the intrepid Reformer was not to be diverted from his purpose. "No!" said he, "to Worms I am summoned, and to Worms I'll go, if there were as many devils in the place as tiles on the houses!" On Tuesday the 16th of April, he entered the city. Before the car rode the herald, clothed in his tabard, on which was painted the German eagle. The street was thronged with people of all ranks, eager to catch a glimpse of the man who had caused so great a stir. Several Saxon noblemen advanced to pay him their respects; but the Duke of Bavaria's jester is reported to have met him, with such a cross as is used at funerals, and to have sung aloud, "Welcome art thou, and much desired of us, who sate in darkness!" He was drawn to the hotel of the Teutonic Knights of Rhodes, near the lodgings of the Elector of Saxony; and as he stept from the car, he said, in the hearing of the crowd, "God will be on my side!" The next day he was conducted privately through a garden, to avoid the throng, and up some back stairs into the hall where the Diet was assembled. An official of the Archbishop of Treves produced a bundle of his works, and asked him two questions, by order of the Emperor; first, whether he acknowledged those books as his own? and, secondly, whether he meant to retract or defend their contents? "I demand," said Schurfius," that their titles be read over." When this preliminary was gone through, Luther answered in brief: "As far as relates to the books, they are mine; but whether I shall defend all their contents, is a question of the greatest moment, and I require space for deliberation, that I may do nothing rashly." The Official replied, "Al though you may easily understand from the Imperial citation the cause for which you are brought hither, and ought therefore to return an immediate answer; yet the Emperor is graciously pleased to allow you one day for deliberation, commanding you to appear again at the same hour to-morrow, and give your positive answer by word of mouth, and not in writing." At his second appearance, he conducted himself with a modest dignity, which must have commanded the respect of the assembly. His speech was distinct, his tone calm, his manner collected, his air de yout. He began his address in German, but was ordered to change that language for Latin; on which he paused, and drew breath for a while, overpowered with heat on account of the number of bystanders, and feeling a natural awe in the presence of so many sovereigns; so that one of the electoral courtiers, a Thuringian knight, humanely advised him to refrain from further speech; but as soon as he had recovered, he proceeded in Latin, Frederick much approving that regulation. "If I should offend, most mighty Emperor, and most illustrious Princes, either by unsuitable expressions or unbecoming manner, I pray that I may be pardoned, and that it may be attributed to the retired mode of life which I have led as an academician. For truly all I can say in my own behalf is, that in simplicity I have taught such doctrines, as I verily believe tend to the glory of God and the salvation of man. Yesterday I answered with respect to my writings. I own these publications, and am responsible for their contents, so far as they are really mine; but I cannot be answerable for any additions which may have. been made by others. As to the second question, I beseech your Imperial Majesty, and your Serene Highnesses, to observe, that all the |